Jose Mourinho already knows his top summer transfer targets, but he will need to offload some of his current stars to trim his squad

But, with the 20-time champions reportedly set to make as many as five high-profile purchases in the summer, some current Old Trafford stars must be moved on to make way.

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Football Whispers have identified the five players fighting for their Manchester United futures this season.

At the start of Jose Mourinho’s reign, it seemed as though Juan Mata’s United future was extremely uncertain, but the Spaniard appears to have played his way into his manager’s long-term plans, while Marouane Fellaini, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have also won the trust of the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan boss.

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Although Bastian Schweinsteiger has been reintegrated into the squad of late, he still seems certain to depart Manchester at the end of the current campaign, and Ashley Young’s six-year stay at Old Trafford looks like coming to an end amid interest from China.

But there are a handful of stars who are playing for their future at the club in the final months of the season.

Martial has been linked with a move away, but claimed on Twitter those reports were rubbish

Anthony Martial

Several media outlets claimed recently that Anthony Martial is unhappy with the amount of game time he has seen in recent weeks, but the Frenchman took to Twitter yesterday to assure fans that that isn’t the case.

But the 21-year-old’s demeanour has told a different story of late, while Mourinho seems to be unhappy with what he is seeing out on the pitch from Martial.

Top scorer in his debut season with United last term, few fans would have expected the £36million signing from Monaco to be facing an uncertain future at the club less than a year later.

Manchester United fans sing song about Anthony Martial

With only two Premier League goals under his belt this season and completing just 1.3 dribbles per game in the league this term, down from 2.7 in 2015-16, Martial looks a shadow of the player who took English football by storm upon arriving from Ligue 1.

If Mourinho decides to cash in on the 15-cap France international, Paris Saint Germain will be at the front of the queue, according to the Mirror.

Last month's FA Cup win over Wigan was Shaw's first appearance since he was hauled off at half time against West Ham in November

Luke Shaw

England full-ball Luke Shaw looked well on his way to fulfilling his immense potential last season before a horrific leg break curtailed his development.

In and out of the United side at the beginning of the current campaign, Mourinho has been openly critical of the youngster, insinuating that the former Southampton defender needs to start delivering on the promise he showed as a teenager which led the Red Devils to hand over £27million for his purchase in 2015.

Last month’s FA Cup victory over Wigan Athletic was Shaw’s first appearance since being withdrawn at half-time in the 4-1 EFL Cup win over West Ham United in November. A series of niggling injuries can partly explain his absence, but it’s clear that Mourinho wants to see a lot more from the 21-year-old if he expects to make the left-back spot his own.

Darmian has since returned to Mourinho's starting XI but in the unfamiliar role of left-back

Matteo Darmian

Former AC Milan full-back Matteo Darmian found himself on the periphery of the United squad at the beginning of the season, before being reintroduced to the team in the less familiar role of left-back.

Though defensively astute, with an impressive average of 2.5 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per game, Darmian is less comfortable when joining the attack, having failed to register a goal or an assist in his 10 Premier League outings so far this term.

The performances of Antonio Valencia have forced Darmian down the pecking order in his favoured right-back role, while Portuguese outlet Noticias Ao Minuto’s claims that the Red Devils have already agreed a deal to sign Benfica full-back Nelson Semedo in the summer suggests that the Italian could be heading back to Serie A in the near future.

Smalling has been overtaken by new boy Eric Bailly this season as the mainstay of the United defence

Chris Smalling

After producing the best form of his career in the early parts of last season, England centre-back Chris Smalling seems to have regressed this term.

The 27-year-old, who was signed from Fulham in 2010, has been unconvincing at the heart of United’s backline, with his shaky display in October’s 4-0 Stamford Bridge defeat to Chelsea marking a low point.

United’s best defensive performances have come with Jones and Rojo paired at the back while Smalling was out injured, and his return to the side coincided with less assured displays against Stoke City and Hull City.

Eric Bailly, a £30million signing from Villarreal last year, has made a hugely impressive start to life at Old Trafford, and looks set to be a mainstay of Mourinho’s defence for years to come.

So that leaves one spot alongside the Ivory Coast international up for grabs. The fact that Portuguese newspaper O Jogo believes the Red Devils will sign Swedish centre-back Victor Lindelof in the summer should worry Smalling.

With widespread reports suggesting that the Red Devils will push the boat out to sign Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid in the summer – a 3.3 likelihood on the Football Whispers Index – it’s been speculated that they’d like to free up some space in their wage budget with Rooney’s departure.

Wayne Rooney is presented a trophy for being Manchester United leading all time top scorer